


You Kidnapped My Heart

by dracoyoulittlepoofer



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Christmas AU, Endgame Niam, Holiday in Handcuffs AU, Kidnapping AU, M/M, holidays au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 09:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5534342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracoyoulittlepoofer/pseuds/dracoyoulittlepoofer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You’re coming with me,” Niall says, hoping his voice doesn’t quiver too much.</p><p>“Excuse me?” The guy barks out a laugh. “I don’t think so.”</p><p>Niall pulls a knife out of his pocket and watches as the guy’s face goes pale. “I think you’re going to come with me, and you’re not going to yell.”</p><p>---<br/>Niall has a bit of a nervous breakdown and kidnaps Liam for Christmas. Now Liam must masquerade as Niall's ex-boyfriend, Nick for the holidays.</p><p>A Holiday in Handcuffs Au.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Main Event

**Author's Note:**

> So, this thing is quite the beast.  
> I'd like to thank Danny for editing it for me today so that I could get it out to you guys.  
> This thing is a beast, and it's a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be.  
> Also, just to make the fic a bit easier to write, Maura and Bobby are still together. So there's that...

9AM.

Fuck.

Niall groans as he rolls out of his bed and onto the floor with a thump, still covered by the warmth of his blankets. He had accepted his fate only two minutes ago, that of which he would become a burrito. His mother would have a sad holiday this year. What with a burrito for what was once a son.  He opens his eyes, blinking several times to adjust to the bright sunlight filtering in through his blinds.

Finally, after contemplating his choices, and why he was even awake, he stretches and gets up. He wipes the sleep out of his eyes before lowering his hand to his belly, scratching at it gently. He turns his head back to his alarm clock, sighing when he notices that it is 9:30 and he had just wasted the last half an hour trying to get up off of the floor.

Niall gets up from the floor and pulls on a pair of pants before heading out of his bedroom and into the kitchen. He drops his iPhone on the counter, going through his music list before settling on “ABC” by the Jackson 5. He pulls open his pantry and glances at his stacks of cereal before settling on a box of Lucky Charms, laughing to himself as he walks over to his bowl cupboard.

“They’re after me Lucky Charms,” he mutters to himself, pouring a generous portion of the cereal into the only clean bowl in his flat. Opening his fridge, he grabs the milk and pours some in the bowl before putting it back in and going over to his kitchen table. He sits down, yawning between each mouthful he shovels in whilst struggling to keep his eyes open.

Sometime later, he finds himself in his bathroom. There was a week until Christmas, which meant he would be going to his parents house in the middle of nowhere, where he would have to pretend he was happy instead of his usual depressed demeanor. That also meant he needed to bleach his hair again, as his roots were showing, which would result in endless comments from his mother about how he was letting himself go… again. Foregoing the instructions - having done it enough times to know what he was doing - he puts the bleach onto his head, smearing it around to make sure it gets every piece of hair. He grabs the plastic bag he had placed on the counter earlier and ties it around his head before setting the timer by the sink.

Niall heads back into his kitchen, attempting to clean up his mess before giving up, grabbing a container of Chinese food out of the fridge. He opens his microwave, but then his face scrunches up in disgust as he decides to eat his chow mien cold, pretending like he didn’t just see the mess inside the microwave. He’s just about to take a bite when his phone goes off across the room.

He glances at his chow mien longingly before walking over to his phone, answering the call as he attempts to take a proper bite. The thing is… he misses his mouth by a long shot and ends up dumping a bit onto his shirt. “Ah, fuck,” he mutters, twirling around to find a rag.

“Is that how you always answer the phone?” The voice of his mother, Maura, chastises him from the phone speaker.

Niall groans, setting his food down on the counter,heading into the bathroom. “Sorry,” he apologizes, looking into the mirror at the spreading stain on his shirt. “I dropped some food as I answered.”

“Are you always eating? Isn’t it only ten? Why are you eating still?” Niall rolls his eyes as he continues listening to his mother complain about his eating habits. He grabs a rag and attempts to get the food off of his shirt, sulking when it doesn’t work. He throws it to the side, not paying attention as it settles on top of his timer. “Have you picked out your outfit for tonight yet?” Maura asks him.

“I was just gonna wear some sweats or summat, for the car drive,” Niall explains, walking out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. He heads to his closet and goes through his clothes hangers.

“Why don’t you wear that sweatshirt I got you for Christmas last year?” She suggests, her tone distracted on the other side of the line.

Niall groans, “I hate that sweater.” He pulls it from the back of his closet, grimacing at the tacky lime green pattern.

“You do not.” He does. “You told me you loved it.”

“It’s lime green, Mum. When have I ever worn lime green before?” He asks her. Nevertheless, he walks to his mirror and holds it up to his body.

“You wear lime green all the time,” she argues. He literally only wears lime green during the holidays when she forces him to. As if the holidays are what suddenly make up his entire life. At some point she is still babbling on and on, he just needs it to stop.

“Fine!” He exclaims, throwing the atrocity onto his bed, “I’ll wear the damn sweater.”

“Oh,” Maura says, sounding as pleased as a peach, “well, now that that’s settled, you’re still bringing that new boy of yours. What was his name again? Nathaniel?”

“It’s Nick, and yeah he’s coming,” Niall assures her. “Listen, mum, I really don’t have time for this, I’ve-,”

“I’m just so excited! You’ve never brought a boy home before!”

“Mum, I-,”

“It’ll be so nice for you to have someone to share the holidays with.”

“Jesus Christ, Mum-,”

“Dammit Maura, let the poor boy breathe.” His dad, Bobby’s, voice is like music to his ear. “Let me talk to him.”  _ No _ . There is a slight shuffling before his dad comes on the phone. “So, you remember you got that interview today?”

“In, like, an hour, Dad.” Niall sits on his bed, rolling his eyes at the serious tone lacing his dad’s voice.

“Now, it’s pretty important that you don’t screw this up,” Bobby warns him. “It was pretty hard to get this interview for you, and I had to call in a lot of favours.”

“Well, if it’s that important you should get off the phone with me so I can finish getting ready and head over there.” Niall grabs a pair of black slacks from the floor, holding them up to his nose. No smell, that’s reassuring.

“Right, right,” Bobby mutters. “Remember, drinks are at six, sharp. Don’t be late.”

“Yeah, yeah. Dad, I-” The line went dead. “Right…” he mutters. He throws his phone on the bed and  goes to run a hand through his hair. “Shit!”

Niall rushes to the bathroom, looking for his timer before realizing the sound had been swallowed by the wet rag he threw to the side earlier. Hesitantly, he pulls the plastic bag off his head, giving himself a few seconds before he looks into the mirror. His hair, left to bleach for too long, is an ugly orange colour.

His entire life is a joke.

\---

The tube had broken down… while Niall was inside one of the carriages, which means that he is fifteen minutes late for his meeting. Nevertheless, he rushes into the building and slams his hands onto the counter. “I have a meeting,” he pants, catching his breath. “I have a meeting with Mr. Winters.”

The receptionist, who had been typing something on her computer looks up at him. She pops the gum in her mouth and stares him down. “Were you his eleven thirty?” She asks. Niall nods. “It is eleven forty-five, sir.”

“O… kay?” He stutters. He looks to the side and spots Mr. Winters in his office. “I’ll just head to his office then…?”

“It’s eleven forty-five, sir. Mr. Winters is interviewing the next person already. I’m sorry,” she doesn’t look sorry, “but you’ve missed your chance.”

“You don’t understand,” Niall insists, placing his hands on the counter. “My dad and Mr. Winters used to be neighbours as kids. My dad… he got me this meeting. I need-.”

“And I need a raise,” the receptionist says, standing up from her chair. “But we can’t all get what we want.” Niall glares at her, and she glares back. He glances over at Mr. Winters office, then back at the receptionist. “Don’t you even think about it,” she warns.

Niall hesitates for a brief second before taking off down the hallway. He reaches the doorway, breathless but ecstatic when Mr. Winters glances at him. “Mr. Winters!” He exclaims. “It’s me! Little blue eyes! Bobby’s son?”

Mr. Winter’s fixes him with a blank stare. He walks over to the door and silently nudges Niall out of it before closing it on his face. Niall stares speechlessly at the door, he turns around and looks at the receptionist who had caught up with him. “Yeah, yeah,” he mutters, “I’ll see myself out.”

“See that you do,” she says, her arms crossed in front of her. “Also, that baseball cap you’re wearing, trying to cover that mess of orange underneath, isn’t working. It’s also extremely unprofessional.”

\----

Niall meanders into work half an hour later, muttering to himself as he walks into the kitchen and into the staff room. Louis follows him inside and begins to pester him incessantly. “You’re a bit late, mate. Don’t you think?”

Niall looks up from where he’s unbuttoning his jacket and glares at Louis. “It’s a fucking organic restaurant where the owner is one of my best friends, I think it’ll be okay.” He continues taking off his jacket.

Louis lets out a loud laugh, the kind where he throws his head back. “What kind of god awful sweatshirt is that?”

Niall scowls, “My mum bought it for me, so you best shut your cake hole.”

“Why is it lime green?” Louis scoffs. “You look like a giant lime.”

“Yeah, well you look like a giant twat,” Niall counters back. He grabs his apron out of his locker and puts it on. He goes into the kitchen, grabs an apple, and when he goes to take a bite out of it, it gets taken out of his hand.

“Food is for breaks, young leprechaun,” Harry, his boss, taunts as he places the apple back in the bowl.

“You’re a cruel man, Styles.” Niall moves to go onto the floor, ready to start his shift when he feels a hand grab at his baseball cap. “What are you doing!?”

Harry frowns, “No hats. You know that.”

Niall groans. He slowly takes the the cap off his head, handing it to Harry’s outstretched hand. Thankfully, the curly haired lad makes no comment about his hair. Louis, on the other hand, comes out of the staff room and begins to laugh again. “Your hair!” He cries out through fits of laughter. “You look like a fucking orange. You’re like a fucking bowl of fruit!” He wipes tears out of the corners of his eyes. “Fruit- fuck. Because you’re gay. It’s so fitting.”

“Fuck off,” Niall snaps, turning around on his heels and heads into the dining room where hungry, annoying customers await him.

\----

“This milkshake is too wet,” the little boy, at the table Niall’s currently at, complains. The boy’s parents are too concerned with their conversation that they don’t even notice their son being a complete ass hat.

“It’s a milkshake,” Niall deadpans. “It’s essentially melted ice-cream.”

The boy huffs, “I said. My. Milkshake. Is. Too.  _ Wet _ .”

“Are you fucking-,” Calming down, Niall grabs the cup from the table. “I’ll make you a new one.” He heads over to the busing station and grabs the ice-cream out of the cooler again.

“So,” Louis says, sidling up to Niall at the counter. “You still going to your parents for the holidays?”

“Every year for the rest of my fucking life,” Niall mutters, throwing the ice-cream into the milk-shake blender.

Louis grabs a cup off the rack and fills it with juice. He takes a straw and throws it in the cup before taking a sip. “You’re bringing that boy of yours this time? That Nick guy, right?”

“Yeah,” Niall replies, instantly feeling better at the mention of his boyfriend. “First one I’ve brought home since… ever.”

“No shit,” Louis says, eye wide. “Too bad you’re bringing Nick then, hey?”

Niall frowns, “What’s wrong with Nick?”

“Bit pretentious, innit?” Louis asks, shrugging his shoulders. “Comes from a rich family. Probably shits money out of his asshole.”

“You barely even know the guy!” Niall exclaims, pulling the milkshake out of the blender. He tries to get it to go into the cup, grimacing as a majority of it ends up on his hands.

“He’s friends with our young Harold,” Louis points out. “And as I am the know it all of Mr. Harold, I know that Nick is a pretentious prick and you’d probably be better going out with a wasp. Which is essentially what Nick is.” Louis looks up. “Speaking of, there’s lover boy now.”

Niall’s head whips up and he smiles widely. Louis takes one look at his friend’s face and walks off, not ready to be near the two “love birds.” 

“Nick!” He exclaims, waving his arms so his boyfriend would come over.

Nick saunters up to the counter, he places his hands on the top and leans forward slightly. “Why do you even still work here? It’s a little bit of a crowded mess.”

“Harry owns it,” Niall points out. “Aren’t you friends with him?”

“Friends enough that I know when a place is a dump,” Nick explains. “Anyway, I have a few things to say.”

Niall frowns, looking at the shirt his boyfriend was wearing. “Do you have something different in your suitcase to wear?” He asks. “We have to hit the road soon, because drinks are at six.”

“Listen, babe. About that,” Nick pauses, finally taking in the mess that is Niall today. “I’m not going.”

“What.”

“We’re moving a bit fast, don’t you think?”

Niall glares at the tall, quiffed looking asshole. His new nickname. “We’ve been together for half a year.”

“Exactly, so we’re moving super fast,” Nick drawls. “Anyway, I’ve got to get ready for a party. So I’ve got to go.”

Nick turns around, sauntering away from the counter in that douche way of his. Completely nonchalant. “Nick!” Niall yells, causing the restaurant to look between the pair awkwardly. “If you walked through those doors, we are over!” 

Nick looks at the door, then back at Niall before shrugging his shoulders. “We had a good run,” he says in response before leaving the restaurant.

The restaurant occupants turned to look at Niall, everyone quiet as he grabs the milkshake cup from the counter and walks over to the little boy. He puts the cup on the table. “Sorry for the wait,” he says, before heading back behind the counter.

He stares down at his hands, watching the veins pop out slightly as he clenches his fists. He is shaking, that was to be expected. He couldn’t tell if he’s angry at Nick for bailing on him, or angry at himself for even going out with the prick. It’s not like he even liked him all that much to begin with, he just thought it would be a fun thing to do now that Harry and Louis were too busy shagging each other to pay attention to him. But man had he been wrong. Because now he’s standing behind the counter looking like an idiot and the entire restaurant knows that he can’t keep a man to save his life.

“Niall,” Harry’s slow drawl knocks him out of his self-deprecating world. “There’s a new guy at table ten, you gonna go help him?” Niall nods. “Okay… good?”

Niall grabs his notepad off the counter and heads to the table. “Oh thank god,” came the person’s voice. A man, Niall notes mentally. “Finally some service.”

“Welcome to Harry’s Organic Restaurant. What can I get for you?” Niall asks, his voice set on a robotic tone.

“Organic?” The guy grumbles. “I can’t believe this is where Zayn wanted to go. What do you recommend, mate?”

“Our milkshakes are amazing, and our salads are smashing,” Niall recites off the top of his head.

“Great, I’ll get two vanilla milkshakes. But I’ll hold off on the food until my boyfriend gets here,” the guys explains, smiling up at Niall who isn’t writing anything. “Do you need to write any of that down?”

Niall shakes his head and walks over to the drinks counter again. He doesn’t bother starting on the guy’s drinks, too preoccupied with his own thoughts that he barely hears his phone ringing. “Are you serious?” Louis asks as he passes by. “If you’re going to keep your phone on at work. at least have the decency to answer it.”

Niall rolls his eyes, ignoring his friend in favour of grabbing his phone and answering it. “Hi, Mum,” he says, already knowing it was be her on the other line. Like a sixth sense.

“Is that the restaurant I hear?” Maura asks, exasperated. “Have you still not left yet?”

“Sorry, I just wanted to stop by the restaurant and got side-tracked into working a bit longer,” Niall apologizes, even though he isn’t sorry at all.

“Well, you’d better get yourself into your car and get driving,” Maura rambles. “When I say drinks are at six, I mean drinks are at six.”

“Yes, Mum,” Niall mumbles.

“You’re bringing Nick still, right?” Maura asks, pausing her speech for a moment.

“Uh-” Niall panics, already knowing what his mother is going to say. He glances around the restaurant. “Yes…” his eyes stop on an attractive male at table ten, holding a small box. “Nick and I will be there for drinks at six.” He then pulls his phone off of his ear and hangs up, knowing he is going to pay for that later at the house. But at the moment, he doesn’t care.

He goes back into the staff room and slides his apron off. He pulls his jacket back on, slides his baseball cap on and waits for a second. He contemplates his plan, but knowing he has no other choice - as the slight tremor in his hands would make it seem - he walks past the prep section, and reaches out a hand to knick one of the just sharpened knives off the table. He slides it into his pocket as he makes his way over to the hallway where the back exit and bathrooms are… and waits.

Niall doesn’t have to wait long, as table ten stands up and makes his way to the bathroom. That’s when Niall pounces. “Umm, excuse me,” the guy mumbles, trying to bypass him.

“Sorry,” Niall says, continuously getting in the guy’s way. He isn’t sorry. He has nothing left in him to be sorry today of all days.

“Oh, are the bathrooms out of order?” The guy asks, and he looks so genuinely concerned that Niall only feels a smidgen of regret.

“You’re coming with me,” Niall says, hoping his voice doesn’t quiver too much.

“Excuse me?” The guy barks out a laugh. “I don’t think so.”

Niall pulls a knife out of his pocket and watches as the guy’s face goes pale. “I think you’re going to come with me, and you’re not going to yell.”

The guy nods. “Can I get my jacket?”

“No!” Niall exclaims, shoving the guy past him. “Go out those doors.” He follows him outside.

“This is ridiculous,” the guy says, going to turn around.

“Stop!” Niall exclaims as he unlocks his car. The guy, startled, slips on the patch of ice he had been carefully maneuvering on. His eyes close as he knocks himself out. Niall groans, “Well, fuck.”

**\-----**

Niall is fiddling with the radio in his car when the man he had essentially kidnapped wakes up, dazed and confused. He decides to approach the situation with caution and respect. Or, well, he was going to before the guy opens his mouth. “Is this panty hose?”

“Well, it's definitely not underwear,” Niall tells him, instead of assuring him he doesn't mean any harm. The man looks over at him and glares, or tries to glare. It is hard to tell with the way his eyes resemble a for-longing puppy stare.

“Did you kidnap me?” The guys asks, tone accusing.

“No!” Niall exclaims. “Well, I mean, kind of? I didn't mean to!”

“How can you not mean to kidnap someone?” The man asks, pulling on his confines. “You either do it with intent, or you don't do it at all!”

“Well, there's no need to shout,” Niall argues petulantly. He sighs, he's been trying to keep his eyes on the road and on the stranger, but he keeps driving off to the side and that's not safe. “Okay, listen. I need you.”

“I  _ knew  _ this was a sex thing!” The guy yells. “Let me go!”

Niall rolls his eyes. “Shut up.”

“Well then, what do you need me for?”

“Okay, so my parents do this like get together every Christmas. Just us together for an entire week, and I was supposed to bring my boyfriend, Nick,” he explains, trying to keep his tone level. “Well, Nick has something else he has to do this Christmas so he can't come. So, you're going to fill in for him.”

“Don't you think it'll be suspicious if the wrong guy shows up to Christmas with you?” The guy asks, shaking his head at the ludicrosity of it all.

Niall shook his head. “They've never met him,” he explains. “Which means you're Nick-,”

“Just because you can't keep a man, doesn't mean I have to go along with this!” The guy explains. “I can't be Nick because my name is Liam, and I'm supposed to be-”

“Listen here Lance-,”

“Liam-,”

“You're going to pretend to be my boyfriend because I can't spend another Christmas being second rate to the rest of my family!” Niall exclaims, settling the conversation.

“I still won't go along with this,” Liam huffs out.

“I have a knife,” Niall points out.

“Fair enough.” Niall grins and ignores Liam's stare, instead he turns his gaze back to the road and down to his gas gage. He groans, “fuck,” and hits his steering wheel. “What?” Liam asks, staring moodily out the car window.

“I’m almost out of gas,” Niall explains. “But luckily…” he trails off, looking ahead, “ah, there it is! I knew there was one along the way.” He pulls into a gas station, all broken down and deserted.

“Are you serious?” Liam asks, looking around incredulously. “This place looks like it’s abandoned.”

“Don’t be silly,” Niall replies. He unbuckles his seat belt then turns to look at Liam. “Don’t… don’t go anywhere.”

Liam rolls his eyes. “I would try, but seeing as I’m stuck to the car, I think this is my only option.” He gives an experimental tug as if to prove his point. “Honestly, what is this stuff made of? Why do you have panty hose in your car?”

Niall frowns. “That seems like an oddly personal question.”

“You’ve kidnapped me, mate,” Liam says as Niall gets out of the car. “I think we’re there. We’re at that point!”

“Yeah, yeah.” He stops for a moment, contemplating, before taking his scarf off of his neck and tying it around Liam’s eyes. “Just in case.” Niall slams the door and heads into the gas station. Wandering around, looking at the small displays. He ignores the stare of the older woman at the till, who has been watching him intently since he came inside. Instead, he grabs two water bottles and a packet of beef jerky from one of the racks. 

Walking up to the old lady, he places the jerky on the counter. “And can I also get twenty in gas?” He asks, fiddling with his slacks pockets and pulling out his wallet.

“Sure, dear,” the old lady says, ringing up his order and generally making him feel uncomfortable. “Getting ready for Christmas?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Niall responds, taking his card back and sliding it into his wallet. “Well, I’ll just go pump my gas and be on my way.”

“Did you want me to do it for you?” She asks him, all bright smiles and sagging facial features.

But Niall’s thoughts instantly go to those of the man he currently has kidnapped inside of his car.”Uh,” he laughs nervously, “I’ll just do it myself. No need to worry about it.”

“Oh no, I insist,” she says, moving out from behind the counter.

Niall panics and bolts outside. He runs to the gas pump and starts pumping his gas, praying that he’ll be finished pumping it by the time she gets outside. Unfortunately, luck is not on his side as he looks up and sees her standing at the entrance to her gas station. She’s staring straight into the car where Liam is tied up, sitting quietly.

“Is… everything okay?” She asks him, staring curiously through the window.

Niall looks at her, panic welling up inside of him. “Uh, it’s a surprise!” He exclaims.

“A surprise?” She asks.

“It’s my boyfriend,” he finds himself explaining. “I’m taking him to my cabin for the weekend. He doesn’t know where we’re going.”

“Oh, that’s so sweet!” She gushes, then pauses. “But why is he tied up?”

Niall curses to himself. “Oh… we, uh, we like that kind of… stuff, y’know?”

“Oh,” she mutters for a second. Recognition then crosses her face and she gasps. “Oh!” She turns around on the spot. “Stay right there! I just have to go do something!”

She walks into the gas station and Niall is already imagining all of the different scenarios in his head. She’s probably called the cops on him, who are already on their way and ready to arrest him for kidnapping some poor bloke on the holidays. He turns back to the pump, relief flashing over his face as he sees that it’s finished. He finishes pumping his gas, ready to escape down the open road when the old lady comes bustling out of the shop.

“Don’t leave yet!” She exclaims, holding something behind her back. Blimey, it’s probably a gun. “I have something for you!” Niall flinches, ready to die as she brandishes a package on display. “These are one the house,” is what she says, handing over a box of fuzzy, pink handcuffs. “Make sure to get some extra play time in for me,” she says, winking.

Niall laughs, “I’ll make sure to spank him extra hard tonight.”

“Now that’s just what I like to hear!” She taps Liam’s window, giggling as he flinches in response. “Merry Christmas, love.”

“Merry Christmas!” He exclaims, getting in the car as the old lady goes back into her shop. He turns to Liam, “I have a gift for you!” He grabs the knife he has been wielding earlier and cuts the panty hose; he rips the box containing the handcuffs and slaps them onto Liam’s wrists. “There, isn’t that comfier?” He asks, taking the blindfold off of his eyes.

Liam looks down at the offending pink handcuffs and grimaces. “Comfier if not slightly less manlier.”

“Great!” Niall says, ignoring Liam’s comment. He puts the car into drive and heads off down the empty road again. They’ll make it to his family’s house in no time, and in the meantime he’s going to start asking some questions. Or rather, he is going to talk and Liam is going to listen. “Alright, so Lance-,”

“It’s Liam, and I-,”

“Alright, Lima, I’m gonna figure some stuff out about you,” he begins, “seeing as we have to pretend to be dating and all.” He rummages around the plastic bag with his spoils and hands Liam a water bottle. He takes the jerky out of the bag and offers a piece to Liam, shoving it in his mouth when he doesn’t take it. “Alright, by the expensive,” he looks Liam up and down, “suit you’re wearing I can tell you work for a corporate company. Probably in an office with a big window while those who work under you have tiny cubicles with minimal lighting.” 

He looks at Liam who doesn’t answer. “So that’s a yes. Moving on, you look like you’re in a relationship with someone who is rarely home?” He glances again. “Also a yes, alright we’re moving along. You’re a trust fund baby whose parents probably divorced each other when you were young and… you went to Oxford. Am I getting anything right?”

Niall looks at Liam who is currently pursing his lips together and staring out of the window all moodily. “So that’s correct as well. Alright, good to know.” He takes a bite of his jerky, nearly missing the turn for his family’s estate. “You’ll probably need to know a bit about me and Nick,” he points out. “I work at a dead end job with no prospects and no real income. I’m very Irish, my family moved here when I was a teen, so the accent seems to have stuck. Currently, I live in a shitty flat in Hampstead Heath, which probably contributes to why I’m so poor, and my boyfriend… err, I suppose ex-boyfriend now, lives in London. He works on a talk show, but my parents don’t know that so I suppose you don’t either. Err, is there anything you want to know?” He asks as he pulls into his family’s driveway at the end of a long path, pulling the car into a stop.

Liam turns to him. “No, and as soon as we get inside I’m going to tell your family how crazy you are.” Niall frowns, reaches forward and begins to feel Liam up. “What are you doing!” Liam yells out in surprise, trying to get away from Niall’s grip.

“Seriously?” Niall asks, pulling his hands away. “No cell phone?”

“Well, you see, it’s probably in my jacket…” Liam explains. “In the restaurant that you  _ kidnapped me from _ .”

“Brilliant!” Niall exclaims, unbuckling his seat belt. “Err, I need you to stay right here.” He eyes Liam up before unlocking his handcuffs and relocking them onto the handle of the car door. “I’ll be right back!”

“And I’ll be right here!” Liam calls out to Niall’s retreating figure.

Niall runs up the steps to his parent’s house, knocking on the door and rubbing his hands together to stay warm. He plasters a smile onto his face as the door opens and his mum’s face greets him. “Niall bear!” She exclaims, pulling him into a hug and into the house. His father, who was just behind his mother, closes the door behind them. “You’re wearing the sweater! Oh dear,” she says, pulling him out of her hug. “What have you done to your poor hair?”

He groans. “I bleached it,” he explains, “but I got distracted by  _ someone  _ on the phone and left it in too long.”

“Did you get the job then?” His dad butts into the conversation. “With that hair, it’s highly unprofessional.”

“Yeah… about that,” Niall begins, scratching at his scalp.

“No business talk until the end of the week!” His mother exclaims, thankfully getting him out of a sticky situation. “Now, where’s that boyfriend of yours? I can’t wait to meet him!”

No such luck.

“Err, he’s in the car,” Niall says, “but there’s something I have to tell you about him first.”

“Is he American?” His father asks. “Because our house is open to all during the holidays, even Americans.”

“Oh Bobby, that’s so sweet of-,”

“No!” Niall exclaims. “He’s very much Irish, don’t worry.” He sighs. “Nick likes to do this joke of his when he gets nervous. It’s how he deals with his anxiety. So, basically he goes ‘I hate this. I don’t want to be here. I’ve been kidnapped’ bit. He thinks he’s hilarious, so just try to laugh to make the transition a bit easier, yeah?”

His parents stare at him blankly, but just nod in response. “Alright, so I’m going to go get him. So, just remember that little bit.” He ducks out of the house and back to the car where Liam is sitting sulkily in his seat. “You ready for this, mate?” He asks, taking the blindfold off his face and unlocking the handcuffs.

“Am I ready to tell your parents you’re bloody insane?” Liam asks back. “Ready to tell them that their son is going to jail this Christmas? You’re damn right, I am!” Liam pushes Niall out of his way and heads to the house.

Niall just rolls his eyes, grabs his suitcase from the back seat and heads inside after the agitated male. “So,” he huffs out, closing the door behind him, “this is Nick.”

He barely gets the words out before Liam starts going on a tangent. “Your son is insane!” Liam yells. “He kidnapped me today, threatened me with a bloody knife! I don’t want to be here right now; this is utter shite and you need to phone the police!”

Niall’s parents glance at each other, trying not to laugh before turning back to Liam. “I know that feeling!” His father says, slapping Liam on the back. “Commitment does feel like that sometimes, but I promise you’ll have fun.”

“You’re so right, Niall bear,” his mum gushes, “he is so funny. Come on, let’s get out of the foyer and into the living room.”

“But, but,” Liam sputters helplessly, being led into the living room. “Your son. Crazy. I’ve been kidnapped!”

“Oh, love. Stop being so nervous, they already love you!” Niall exclaims, skipping past Liam nonchalantly, patting him on the cheek as he does.

Liam is interrupted from responding by the front door opening and closing loudly, the voice of a small child yelling and the pitter patter of little footsteps filling the empty space. Niall is momentarily taken off guard as a body collides with his legs, sending him toppling to the ground.

“Unka Nio!” Theo yells, giggling as he falls to the ground with his disgruntled uncle.

“He’s smaller than you and yet he can still take you down like you’re nothing,” Greg says, laughing as he walks into the living room and takes in Niall’s crumpled body on the floor. “You’re a toughie, aren’t ya, Theo? Taking your Uncle down like he weighs nothing.”

Theo looks up at his dad, snuffling his nose as he tries to get the boogers back in his nose. Lovely. “I’m stwong!” Theo exclaims, elbowing Niall in the gut as he gets out and runs into his Grandma’s waiting arms.

“I was surprise attacked,” Niall claims, sitting up from the floor. “It’s not my fault!”

Denise, who was trailing behind her new husband, rolls her eyes and hugs Bobby as she stepped into the living room. “You just don’t wanna admit a three year old took you down.”

Liam, who took the moment of Niall being distracted to walk over to Greg. “You seem like a reasonable human,” he says, walking Greg off to the side. “Your parents won’t believe me but your brother is crazy.”

Greg bellows out a laugh. “You’re telling me, my brother!” He pats Liam on the back and walks off. Liam stares at him helplessly, catching Niall’s eye who just stares at him smugly.

“Who wants a drink?” Maura asks.

\----

It’s sometime later that night when Liam disappears, they’re in the middle of a riveting game of Uno. Niall only notices because his mum immediately starts talking about how wonderful “Nick” is and how “Nick” should be invited to all their family holidays. At one point, Niall is so sick with how his family is obsessing over “Nick”, that he stands up so abruptly that he causes everyone to quit talking.

“Err,” he begins awkwardly, “speaking of Nick, has anyone seen him?”

“He asked for my cellphone earlier, mate,” Greg says, shrugging his shoulders. “Said he needed to phone someone named Zayn?”

Niall pales, trying not to seem like he’s panicking too much in front of his family. “Did you, uh, did you see where he went?”

“I think he went to the bathroom, dear” Maura says, waving him off.

Niall quickly heads upstairs, in search of Liam who was probably already phoning the police who were on their way to pick him up and throw him in the slammer for the rest of his life. “Liam!” He calls out, rushing to the bathroom door that is closed shut.

“Occupied!” Liam’s smug voice responds.

“Come on, sugar bear,” Niall says frantically. “Open the door! What are you doing in there? Who are you talking to?” He begins to bang on the door, trying to make sure Liam would be distracted, but trying to keep it quiet so his family couldn’t hear how desperate he sounded.

“Hold your horses,” Liam’s aggravated voice says, opening the door quickly. “I was using the loo.” He adjusts his slacks pointedly. “Can you give this back to your brother?” He asks, handing Niall a cellphone.

“Who were you talking to?” Niall asks, walking with Liam back downstairs to the living room.

“Nobody,” Liam says, sounding distracted. “There was no cell service. You live in the middle of nowhere.”

“Damn right we do,” Niall says triumphantly, smiling widely.

\-----

“I’m so sorry we didn’t have anything else for you, Nick,” Maura apologizes as Niall and Liam follow her up the stairs. “I can’t believe you didn’t bring a suitcase or anything.”

“Oh, you know, Ma, Nick and I were just so excited to come for Christmas that we had accidentally left his suitcase at Harry’s restaurant,” Niall explains to null his mother’s worrying and questions.

“And my jacket as well,” Liam mutters darkly.

Maura hums but continues up the stairs and stops at the first door on her left. “Alright, dear. This will be your room for your stay,” she explains, opening it behind her and standing out of the way.

“Mum!” Niall panics, stopping Liam from going in. “Nick is my boyfriend and I am a grown man. If I want to sleep in my childhood room with my boyfriend, then I should be able to!”

“But, Niall-”

“Mum!” Niall chastises her.

“Okay, sorry,” she apologizes.

And that’s how they end up in Niall’s room. With his bunk beds. Liam on top and Niall on the bottom, as the world intended it to be. Niall stares up at the bottom of the top bunk, he worries his fingers through the frays on the ends of his blanket. “Well, this is romantic,” he says, trying to cut the tension and knowing Liam was still awake.

“Tomorrow, I’m leaving,” Liam replies, his voice stone cold. “I’m going to find someone who is sane, and I’m going to call the police.”

“My parents live in the middle of nowhere,” Niall points out. “You’ll get lost if you try and find a way home without me.”

“Shut up,” Liam snaps.

Niall sighs. “For what it’s worth… I’m sorry,” he says, trying to convey his feelings to the lad. “I wish it could’ve gone differently.”

\----

When Niall wakes up, it’s one in the morning and the door to his room is wide open. He distinctly remembers closing it before they went to bed so his father wouldn’t wake them up when he woke up early in the morning (as an early morning riser). The room is oddly silently, unnerving for a room that should have someone else sleeping in it. So, he rubs the sleep out of his eyes and gets out of bed.

Sure as shit, Liam’s bunk is empty and his anxiety grows. Not because Liam is probably halfway home by now (because there’s no way), but because this asshole is probably lost somewhere out in the wilderness.

Niall heads downstairs as quietly as he can, positive that nobody in his house is awake. He heads into the spot he hid everyone’s car keys, grabbing the pair out for his car and then heads into the foyer where he grabs a woolly jacket out of the coat closet and puts a big pair of boots on. With a glance at the warmth of his house, he heads out into the cold and gets into his car. If he’s luck, Liam will have stayed on the road. If he’s not, Liam will have wandered into the forest to be eaten alive by bears and wolves. Were there even bears or wolves out there? He supposes that’s for Liam to find out.

He gets into his car, fumbling with the keys as he tries to get it on. Not only is he tired, but now he’s also cold and when that first hit of hot air hits him as the heat turns on he feels like he probably should have thought over the whole kidnapping thing a bit more before he did it. But, alas, there’s a posh mini David Beckham out there somewhere, and to let something like that die would be a waste.

Niall drives down the road, some Ed Sheeran playing on his stereo from his iPod. He’s been driving, probably, twenty minutes when he comes across a lone figure on the road. The figure, bundled up in one of his father’s winter parkas, is walking slowly and stoutly as if his legs are frozen. So, he slows the car down and rolls down the window. “Liam…” he says, trying to get the figures attention.

No answer.

“How long have you been walking for?” Niall asks, driving the car slowly beside Liam. “An hour? You’re probably freezing.”

“You’re insane,” Liam bites out, shivering.

Niall rolls his eyes. “I have a blanket for you in the car. The heat is blasting.” No response. “The gas station is another four hour walk from here on foot,” he says, stopping the car as Liam stops in his tracks. “How about you come home with me, I’ll give you some hot chocolate, and you can go to bed in a warm bed?”

Liam scowls, but gives up and climbs into the car. He grabs the blanket Niall had brought with him and wraps it around himself. “I still hate this.”

“Wouldn’t expect anything less,” Niall says, blasting the heat once more to try and warm Liam up.

\-----

Niall wakes up the next morning around eight and sneaks out of his bedroom, taking extra care to make sure he doesn’t disturb Liam who looks like he’s sleeping so peacefully. He heads down the stairs and into the kitchen.

“Morning Niall bear,” Maura says, giving her son a kiss on the cheek as he passes. 

“Morning,” Niall says, shrugging out of her grasp. He takes a key out of his pajamas pants pocket and unlocks a drawer in the kitchen. “I have to phone Harry, apologize for skipping out of work early yesterday. Is that alright?”

“No problem, dear,” she coincides, “but makes sure it’s your last one. I didn’t make you the technology holder for nothing.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he mumbles, snatching his cellphone out and locking the drawer back up again. He throws on his jacket and heads outside just as Liam is coming down the stairs and he prays that he’s too tired to give his mum too much of a problem.

He dials Louis’ numbers (because no way in hell was he actually phoning Harry about leaving work early) and waits for him to pick up, watching the puffs of air turn into a white fog cloud of condensation.

“What the bloody hell are you doing, calling me this early? I didn’t even know this was a time?” Louis’ voice comes over the line, sounding vaguely like it was muffled into a pillow or somebody’s chest.

“Are you at Harry’s?” Niall asks curiously, trying to catch Louis and Harry in the act.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Louis mumbles, snuffling. “What do you want?”

“I may have done something… bad,” Niall begins.

“How bad are we talking here?” Louis asks. “March 25th bad or Christmas of 2012 bad?”

“Worse,” Niall mumbles, wincing at the gasp Louis lets out. Ever the over dramatic one.

“What’ve you done then?”

“It’s not my fault!” Niall exclaims, flailing his hands around. “It’s just that Nick bailed on me, and he was sitting there and he was perfect and now he’s here and I’m going to jail.”

“Hold on a minute,” Louis says, and by the shuffling on the other line it sounds like he’s sitting up. “What do you mean you’re going to jail? Why would Nick bailing on you make you go to jail?”

“I kidnapped someone,” Niall admits, bringing his fingertips to his lips and biting at the nail bed on his pointer.

“You kidnapped someone!” Louis yells. There’s a loud smack and a groan, which probably means he got so overexcited that he hit poor Harry. “Who did you kidnap? Shit, when did you have time to kidnap someone?”

Niall groans and turns towards the house where he can see Liam staring, moodily, out the window at him. “It was a customer,” he explains, ignoring Louis’ groans and waves at Liam. “I didn’t mean to. He was just there and I think I had a bit of a mental breakdown.” Liam scowls at him and disappears back into the house.

“You have to let him go, babe,” Louis tells him, his voice soft. “You can’t keep him hostage.”

“It’s not like I have him chained up,” Niall explains, “he can leave anytime he wants.”

“You’re at your parents house,” Louis points out. The bastard. “They live in the middle of nowhere. He’d be dead by the time he got halfway to civilization.”

Niall sighs. “I know. I just need him a couple more days… but I need you to do a favour for me.”

Louis groans, “What could I possibly do for you?”

“He left his jacket in the restaurant when I… invited him away for the weekend,” he explains awkwardly, trying to avoid talking about the kidnapping anymore. “Can you just keep it out of view until I can get him home again?”

“The things I do for the Irish,” Louis grumbles, hanging up. Niall panics for about 2.5 seconds before a text comes in:

_ You owe me. _

Niall smiles at his phone, thankful that Louis is finally getting laid on the regular and is therefore more agreeable. With that, he heads inside and takes off his jacket before heading back into the kitchen where Liam is sitting at the kitchen island, sulking. “Morning sugar muffin,” Niall says, smirking at Liam as he passes by.

“I thought you said no cell phones?” Liam asks, his face curiously blank. “I just really need to phone my parents, I miss them.”

“Oh no,” Maura says, cooing over Liam’s puppy dog face. “Give Nick your phone dear, he only has to make one phone call.” Niall glares at Liam behind his mother’s back. Liam just grins widely in response. “I’ll be back in a ‘mo, boys. I’ve gotta go grab Theo from his bed.”

As soon as his mother leaves the kitchen, Niall turns to Liam and scowls. “Stop trying to get her to like you,” he snaps.

“Just give me the damned phone, you bleach blond leprechaun,” Liam snaps back, standing up.

The two stare at each other over top of the marble counter top, glancing back and forth from each other’s faces to where Niall’s cell phone sits on the counter top. “Don’t you dare,” Niall warns him, reaching forward and grabbing his phone. “You’ll get my phone when you die.”

“Ah, death threats,” Liam says, “now I’ll have even more dirt on you for when I throw you in jail.” He moves around the counter slowly, trying to catch Niall off guard.

“Back off, Lima,” Niall warns, moving towards the cell phone drawer slowly.

“Give me the cellphone, Niall.” Liam catches up to Niall and cages him against the counter. He can feel Liam’s heart beating erratically against his rib cage, and the peach fuzz on the man’s arm against his own. From where Niall is standing, this angle is probably the best to reach up on his toes, as Liam is slightly taller than him, and kiss him. His lips are pouted adorably, whether he wants them to be or not, and Niall knows it’s inappropriate but… he wants to kiss him.

“Over my dead body,” Niall whispers instead, turning around as quickly as he can - which is quite a feat, considering the way Liam has him pressed against the counter. He digs the drawer’s key from his pocket and unlocks it, throwing his cellphone in before closing it and locking it again. “Guess you’re shit out of luck mate.”

Liam growls and presses Niall further into the table, and if Niall were a lesser man then he wouldn’t have let out the noise of contentment that he did. But, alas, he does and he can already feel Liam stiffen up behind him. He is about to comment on it, ready to embarrass the fuck out of the man, or maybe get a good snog out of it when his mother walks into the kitchen.

“Oh!” She shouts, covering her eyes. “Maybe we shouldn’t be doing that in the kitchen, hm boys?” Niall sighs in relief as Liam instantly moves away from him, ending up on the other side of the room. “Isn’t that right, Theo?”

“That’s icky,” Theo replies indignantly. The little shit.

\----

“Alright,” Maura says loudly, clapping her hands together. The Horan brood and Liam stand around her in a circle. “Greg, you and Denise can help me finish decorating the house, and putting up the tree with Theo. And Bobby, I’d like you to wrap the rest of the presents that I have in our room.”

“What about Nick and I?” Niall asks, glancing over at Liam who is playing with Theo.

“You can go outside,” she replies, smiling as if she’s just presented him with a winning lottery ticket. “Show your lovely boyfriend your treehouse or something. I’m sure he’d love that.” She goes over to Liam and picks Theo up out of his arms. “I don’t want to see you in the house until supper time.”

Liam and Niall stare at each other awkwardly, but Niall knows that if he goes against his mom’s wishes then she’ll be extremely angry with him. So, he grabs Liam by the arm and hauls him into the foyer. That’s when he gets a good glimpse at what Liam is wearing. “Is that…” he begins, “is that my dad’s shirt?”

“Well somebody didn’t let me grab anything before we came here, sweetums,” Liam sneers. “I had to borrow something from your dad’s old clothes.”

Niall snorts and hands a winter jacket over to Liam. “Well, bundle up bumpkin.” They head outside, with Niall taking the lead and Liam following ever so diligently behind him. His mum suggested he show Liam his treehouse, so that’s what he’s going to do.

“Did you actually have a tree house growing up,” Liam asks as he trudges through the snow behind Niall, looking like he belongs among the snow and trees. “I thought you were a teenager when you moved here?”

“I was,” Niall replies, surprised that Liam remembers that piece of information. Considering he was told it on the initial day of kidnapping. “Whoever lived here before us built it for their kids. I used to come out here to play music and stuff.”

“You play music?” Liam asks, surprised and full of questions.

“Oh, I’m not that good though,” Niall says, shrugging his shoulders and rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

The reach a rather large elm tree, about the middle of the tree, amongst the twigs and branches sits a treehouse. It looks a little worse for wear, probably built in the 90s, and it probably isn’t the safest to climb. Alas, Niall is feeling a big nostalgic.

“Ready to climb?”

Liam looks up, crinkling his nose in distaste. “I suppose. Maybe once I’m up there I can see a way home.”

Niall snorts, “That’s unlikely.” Alas, he climbs the staircase built into the side of the tree, cautious of making sure Liam is climbing it behind him and not making a run for it. It’s when they both get to the top and inside that Liam lets out a particularly loud breath that Niall mistakes for disgust. “You didn’t have to climb up after me,” he defends himself.

“No,” Liam says, and oh… he actually looks a bit speechless as he walks around the tiny space. He’s staring at the pieces of music nailed to the walls. Years of painstaking work that Niall feels quite proud of. Liam walks over to a trunk tucked into the corner and fiddles with the latch. “May I?”

Niall squirms under the gaze Liam presents at him, but nods. “There’s nothing in there but music sheets and stuff.”

Liam ignores that and opens the trunk, fiddling with the different papers and running his hands over the pencils that lay at the bottom. He’s silent, which unnerves Niall a bit, who’s so used to constant noise. “This is…” Liam begins, breaking his silence. “You’re a pretty good composer.”

Niall blushes, feeling extremely awkward under Liam’s praise. “I mean, I guess I’m alright.” He rubs the back of his neck, and can feel the heat through his gloves. “It’s what I want to do, though,” he explains. “I want to write music.”

“Well, you’ve got a knack for it. I’d buy your songs,” Liam says, sounding genuine.

Niall still really doesn’t believe him, too used to being kicked down by his family and rejected from record companies to really take the compliment to serious. But it makes him blush, and tingle to his fingertips. Makes him wonder if Liam is warming up to him - no, that can’t be it. Liam is just biding his time until he can go home and throw Niall in jail.

\-----

They’re sat around the fire later, surrounded by Niall’s family and singing Christmas carols. A typical Christmas Eve at the Horan household, but it’s different this time. Nobody is fighting, and instead they’re all gathered around Liam at the piano. Perfect Liam, who is playing Christmas songs and singing with that amazing fucking voice of his as if he’s a fucking god. Niall is sitting on a couch, out of the way, playing with a broken string on a blanket.

He had coloured his hair brown earlier, to get rid of the awful orange hue that his botched bleach job had done to his head. Nobody noticed, however, except for Liam who had been speechless. He had stopped by Niall and put a hand on his head, feeling the soft hair under his fingertips. “It feels nice,” he had said, smiling softly at Niall before going to help his mum bake some cookies with Theo.

Niall had been thinking about that, so he’s not really paying attention, so he’s caught by surprise when Liam comes to sit beside him. A hand sprawled out on the couch behind him. He feels safe, he feels cozy. But he also feels like he isn’t really part of the family.

“Alright, who wants to read  _ The Night Before Christmas _ ?” Bobby asks, grabbing the book off of the fireplace mantle. “Niall? You usually read it.”

Niall groans. “I read it every year!”

“He’s right, dear,” Maura says, taking the book from his hands. “Nick, why don’t you read it?” She hands the book to Liam who looks pleased as a peach.

Niall sits up straighter. “Ma, I’ll do it. I don’t mind.”

“No, no, hun. It might be nice to have Nick do it. Maybe set a new family tradition,” She says, giving Niall the “don’t you talk back to me” look.

Niall throws his hands up in the air. “Well, why don’t you just adopt Nick then! Since you obviously like him better!” He stands up from the couch and storms out of the living room and into the kitchen where he grabs a beer from the counter and angrily twists the top off.

He should have known, bringing a “boyfriend” with him. That his family would try to replace him, like they did every year because they didn’t actually care about him. It had happened with Greg when he had brought Denise home that first Christmas, but it didn’t last long because Greg is the favourite child. The child that has a steady income and got married like a good little Irish boy to a lovely Irish girl in the perfect Irish Catholic Cathedral.

“Niall,” a deep voice interrupts his thoughts. He turns around and sees Liam walking inside. “Is everything alright? Your family is worried about you.”

“They don’t care about me,” Niall scowls. “They’re too occupied with my perfect boyfriend. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they’re replacing me with you!”

Liam throws his arms up in defense. “I thought the whole point of kidnapping me was to have your boyfriend here! What did you think was going to happen? I’m doing a good job!”

“Whatever,” Niall says, brushing Liam off. “It’s fine. I’m used to it. Let’s go to the living room again.  He walks back to where his family is sitting, waiting for him. Theo is holding  _ The Night Before Christmas  _ book. 

“Is everything alright?” Denise asks, watching Niall and Liam sit down.

“All good,” Liam says, taking the book from Theo and sitting the child on his lap.

“Just peachy,” Niall provides, not looking anyone in the eyes.

\----

“Alright, we’re heading to bed,” Maura says, handing Niall two things of white paper with little Santas on it. Besides Liam and Niall, she’s the only one awake. “Make sure to write your letter to Santa.”

“Mum,” Niall whines, “don’t you think I’m a bit too old for Santa?”

“You’re never too old for Santa,” Maura chastises him. With a kiss on her son’s cheek, and a friendly hug with Liam, she heads off to bed, turning off the lights so they’re only left with the glow of the Christmas tree.

Liam reaches forward on the table and immediately eats a cookie.

“Hey!” Niall scolds him. “Those are for Santa!”

“Exactly, who else is going to eat them?” Liam states, eating another one before drinking some of the milk. He grabs a pen from a cup holder and grabs one of the papers from Niall. “So, what are you asking Santa for?”

“You’re actually doing it?” Niall asks, even as he grabs his own pen.

“Of course I am,” he explains. “I never got to do it as a kid.”

“You never wrote a letter to Santa?” Niall questions, writing down a list of things he wants from the big old, white, fat man.

“My Uncle wasn’t too big on Santa,” Liam explains. “I was pretty young when my parents passed away, so if we did it before then I wouldn’t remember anyway.” He looks occupied with his current letter, his writing childish but endearing.

“Wait, I thought you were a trust fund kid? Like, your parents are super rich? That’s what you told me.” Niall vaguely remembers that conversation in the car. That also explains Liam’s expression from earlier when he was trying to get the phone. 

“No, you told me all that stuff. I never confirmed it,” Liam points out, arching an eyebrow at the Irish lad.

They sit in silence, writing out their letters. Occasionally, one of them would sneak a glance at the other, but neither could pluck up the courage to talk to the other.

“You finished writing?” Niall asks, sometime later when they’re both just watching the fire in the fireplace die down. Liam nods. “What did you ask for?”

“I’m not telling you,” Liam replies, folding up his letter. “What did you ask for?”

“My parents to love me,” he jokes lightheartedly.

Liam frowns. “Your family loves you quite a bit,” he points out. “They don’t stop talking about you.”

Niall shrugs. “They don’t really act like it, so it’s hard to tell.”

“Well, they do.”

\-----

Niall is woken up the next morning with a foot in his stomach and a loud cry of “It’s CHRISSMAS UNKA NIO!”

Niall barely opens his eyes before Theo is tearing out of the room and down to his grandparents room. Liam is already off the top bunch, staring at Niall in amusement from his desk chair. “Shut up,” Niall mumbles, ignoring the way his stomach clenches at the way Liam laughs at him.

“Suppose we should head downstairs?” Liam asks, staring fondly at Niall.

“Just because we had a heart to heart last night doesn’t mean we have to be friends,” Niall explains, avoiding eye contact with the lad.

“Oh, yeah I know,” Liam says, sounding off. “I’ll, uh, meet you downstairs I guess.”

“See you there.”

Niall watches Liam leave the room, feeling awkward and shamefully. Fully experiences the guilt he has for kidnapping the poor guy. Obviously he isn’t keeping him away from his family… as he has no real family. But he’s pretty sure he remembered a partner, yeah, there was definitely a Zayn. Spoken about so fondly that there is no way he is anything less than a significant other.

With a groan, he gets out of bed and heads downstairs, stopping at the bottom of the staircase when he sees Liam tickling the life out of Theo. It makes him so happy that Liam fits in, but he has to shake it off. He has to remind himself that Liam isn’t his and will probably never be his.

Liam looks up from Theo and grins widely at him. He places his prisoner on the floor and heads over to where Niall is standing at the bottom of the staircase. “You okay?” Is what he asks. Niall nods.

“Hey lovebirds,” Greg yells from the couch.

“Fuck off, Greg,” Niall snarls at his brother for breaking their peace and quiet.

“Mistletoe,” Greg says as an explanation, pointing above them. Since when in the fuck did they start putting mistletoe up around the house.

But when Niall looks at Liam, wishing and praying that Liam doesn’t want to punch him, he doesn’t see rejection. He doesn’t see hatred or disgust, or even acceptance. What he does see isn’t quite eagerness… but it’s close. It’s like Liam wouldn’t mind if he kisses him and… well…

Liam shrugs, a blush dusting his cheekbones. He leans forward and tilts his head a bit so that Niall can duck down a little less to kiss him, and then just… plants one on him. And it feels right. It feels like fireworks, candy, a nice pint of Guinness. It’s not like Niall hasn’t had a good snog before, blimey he’s had enough shags to know when a kiss feels good or doesn’t. But this is different. It feels like the first snowfall on a cold winter’s day. It feels like the first rain on a spring day. It’s like all those things combined but better because he’s feeling it through his bones and down to his very core and it ends before he’s had enough of it.

When Liam pulls away, a deep shade of red, Niall wants more. He doesn’t take more… no… that would be wrong. But he savours the feeling, and he takes the hand Liam offers him. He walks into the living room with him and ignores the pointed look his brother is giving him. If this wasn’t a kidnapping, he would feel like the luckiest person in the room. But, alas, he’s not. It’s all fake and he’ll have to deal with it when the time comes.

“Presents?” Theo asks, already trying to grab at a brightly wrapped box underneath the tree.

Everyone laughs.

“Yeah, bud, presents,” Greg says, picking his son up and blowing a raspberry on his tummy.

From the looks of it, everyone got quite a few good ones. Niall doesn’t pay much attention to anyone unwrapping their presents, instead he’s focusing on the way his lips are still buzzing and slightly plump from their kiss, even though it was neither deep, nor long. He keeps sneaking glances at Liam who is looking out the window, watching the snow fall.

He looks ethereal.

“This is for you, Niall,” Bobby says, handing him a rectangular box.

Niall smiles at his dad in thanks and proceeds to open the present in a rush, ready to see what he’s gotten. But any and all of his happy thoughts leave his head as he glances down at the brown briefcase that sits on his lap.

“Bobby,” Maura chastises her husband.

“Well,” Bobby begins, “it was supposed to be for when you started your new job. But seeing as you didn’t get it, I guess it’ll go to waste.”

Niall grips the handle. “I didn’t want the job anyway, dad.”

“It doesn’t matter if you wanted it or not. You can’t work at your friends organic crack house forever. There has to come a time in your life where you need to get a real job.”

“I have a real job!” Niall exclaims. “And once my music picks up-”

Bobby scowls. “Your music is going nowhere. You know it and we know it.” His father looks angry now, he’s sitting on the edge of his chair and it’s vaguely reminiscent of how he would scold his sons when they were younger. “Music is fine as a side hobby, but you’re a grown man and you need to get an adult job.”

“Music isn’t just a side hobby,” Niall points out. “I don’t just like producing music. I’m good at it! I write my own lyrics and accompaniment. I’m good at what I do and it’s what I want to do.”

“You can’t just-”

“With all due respect,” Liam starts, interrupting Bobby from continuing. “But I’ve seen Niall’s compositions, and he’s really good. I’ve also watched some videos he has on his laptop, and his lyrics are really inspiring. I think anyone would be lucky to play his music.”

“You listened to my music?” Niall asks, surprised. “Wait, you were on my laptop?”

“I was just checking my email,” Liam reassures him, and Niall feels like he has to trust him. At this point it wouldn’t matter anyway.

“You can’t honestly want him to pursue a job in music, it’s a dying art,” Bobby says. “You should want financial security.”

“Bobby,” Maura scolds.

“Actually,” Liam says whilst getting up and grabbing his suit jacket from the foyer closet. He heads back into the living room. “Bobby, I don’t know if Niall has ever told you this, but I also work in the music industry. I’ve actually produced music for Cheryl and Adele recently.”

“I didn’t mean-,” Bobby tries to say before Liam interrupts him.

“I wouldn’t mind if Niall worked in the music industry,” he explains. “It would just mean I’m closer to him. But, since I figure I’ll need to prove it to you now.” He turns to Niall, who is still sitting on the couch. “Babe, I wanted to wait until Christmas was over, and do this without you feeling pressured around family.” He gets down on one knee and Niall’s brain instantly goes blank; he can hear his mum gasping in the corner. “Niall Horan, I know we don’t always get along,” that’s the understatement of the century, “but I’ve grown to really care about you over these past four days- I mean eight months. Time really flies.” He chuckles. “Anyway, will you do me the favour of becoming my husband?”

Niall stays silent for a moment, he can feel his heart beating erratically behind his chest. He looks Liam dead in the eyes, but the man just nods quickly so that nobody else can catch it. “Alright,” Niall replies, sounding a little breathless. “I mean yes! Yes!

“Oh!” Maura exclaims, clapping her hands together. “My baby boy is going to get married, Bobby!”

Niall is surprised when Liam kisses him, just briefly, not enough to sate him but enough to make him happy. “Do you always carry engagement rings in your pocket?” He asks, wondering if he had kidnapped the poor guy on the same day he was going to propose to his boyfriend.

“Don’t worry about it,” is what Liam says instead, kissing the top of his forehead and thanking everyone for congratulating them on their engagement.

\---------

It’s when they’re sitting around the dinner table that night, everyone quiet and thinking (even little Theo), that Niall finally feels happy. He knows it’s short lived, and he knows that tomorrow he’ll have to take Liam back into the city to be with his future fiance, but he can’t help but savour it at the moment. With his feet wrapped around Liam’s under the table, everything feels right.

“So, you never did tell us,” Denise begins, “how did you and Nick meet?”

“Who’s Nick?” Niall asks, looking up, confused.

“Your… your fiance?” Denise replies, sounding like she hasn’t quite gotten the memo.

“Oh… oh!” Niall exclaims in surprise. “Err, there’s not really any… uh, meet cute or anything.”

“He kidnapped me,” Liam says bluntly, causing Niall to panic.

“What he means is-,”

“It was a prank that his friends got him to do,” Liam continues. “It was kind of cute. He, like, took me to different places and introduced me to people I had never met before. Like a game or something if I could remember all of their names.” He looks at Niall, looking completely content. “I felt myself falling for him even then.”

“Awe, well isn’t that just-,”

His mum, in the middle of cooing over the two of them, stops in her tracks as the house is filled with noise. Sirens.

Fuck.

“What is that?” Bobby asks, confused.

Niall hears the front door being kicked open,, and a whole swat team of men come storming into their dining room. “Freeze!” One of them yells. “We’ve come to arrest a Mr. Niall Horan for the kidnapping of Liam Payne.”

“That’s absurd!” Maura exclaims. “My Niall has been home this entire time! When has he had time to kidnap someone.”

“Mr. Payne, are you alright?” One of the swat guys walks up to Niall and asks.

“Mr. Payne… what? That’s Nick.” Greg stands up from his spot at the table despite the swat members warnings.

“No, this is Liam Payne who has been missing since the 22nd of December,” the leader  says.

“That’s my son’s fiance, Nick,” Maura argues, grabbing Niall’s hand to show the men Niall’s, or rather, Liam’s fiance’s ring.

“Actually, Mum…” Niall says awkwardly. “I maybe, kind of, did kidnap him?”

Everyone turns to Liam who justs shrugs. “Sorry?”

\----

They’re sitting in jail, yes jail, later that night, somewhere within London - Niall’s not too sure, and his family is extremely pissed at him. But that’s because they’re all sitting there with him, in a dingy cell that smells vaguely of booze and piss.

“Mum,” Niall attempts to reach out to her.

“Kidnapping, Niall,” Maura says, “really? I cannot believe you.”

“I don’t understand why you couldn’t have just told us that you got stood up for Christmas. But, no, you had to kidnap some poor random stranger,” Bobby scolds him, refusing to look at his face.

“What am I going to tell our friends and family?” Maura states. “We’ll be the laughing stock of everyone.”

Niall doesn’t respond, instead he just stands at the bars of the cell and watches as one of the police officers approaches. “What’s he doing to me?” He asks.

“He’s not pressing charges, you lucky bastard,” they explain to him. “You and your family can go home.”

“Oh thank god!” Bobby exclaims, sitting up from the cold, hard bench. “Let’s go home Maura.”

Niall watches his family leave, trailing behind them slowly. He takes his possessions from the front counter, sad to see his family has already left him behind (though his brother promised to drive his vehicle to London in a day or two). All he’s got is his wallet and a ring. Liam’s ring. “Fuck,” he mutters, shoving both items into his pockets.

He heads outside, shielding his eyes from the sun, and walks down the steps from the jail. Surprised to see Liam standing at the bottom of the steps.

“I am so sorry,” Niall apologizes, feeling like absolute shit.

“It’s fine,” Liam explains. “I actually had fun being around a family for Christmas for once. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

“Thanks for not pressing charges.” Liam shrugs. Niall digs around in his pockets and pulls out the ring. “Uh, I guess you’ll be needing this, then?”

“Thanks, mate,” Liam says, accepting it with a smile. That’s where the conversation ends though, both too awkward to really say anything. Trying to pluck up any courage either of them had.

“Listen, Liam,” Niall begins awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was wondering if-”

“There you are!” Says a voice that Niall has never heard in his life. “You,” they say, and Niall gets a good look at them. They’re gorgeous, is the thing. It’s a male, probably Liam’s fiance, and they are dressed impeccably. With beautiful, bleached white hair, they look exactly like someone Liam would end up spending the rest of his life with. “You’re the crazy person who kidnapped Liam for Christmas, yeah?”

“It was a mistake,” Niall tries to explain.

“You’re right it was a mistake,” Zayn snaps, grabbing Liam’s arm protectively. “If it was up to me, you would still be in jail right now. You’re fucking lucky Liam is such a nice person.”

Everyone stands there silently: Zayn stares Niall down. Liam gazes at Niall longingly and Niall trying to avoid everyone’s eyes. 

“Niall, I-,” begins Liam and that’s Niall finally looks at him.

“Come on, we’ve got a wedding to plan,” Zayn says, tugging on Liam’s arm.

“Right,” Liam mumbles. He stares at Niall apologetically. “Um, see you around, mate.”

“See you around…” Niall says, watching Zayn drag the only person that made Niall’s life make sense even for a little while.

Fucking great.

\----

February is rounding the corner when Niall is sitting at a quaint little cafe, reading a newspaper and drinking an overpriced coffee. Of course, right in the middle of the announcement section is a piece about up and coming music mogul, Liam Payne, and model Zayn Malik, are due to be married in two weeks. Why don’t they just put an ad out that says:  _ Fuck you, Niall Horan. You’re going to end up alone and ugly. _

Suppose that would’ve been too blunt.

He’s lucky, he really is. He has an upcoming show in three weeks. It’s his own show, he’s not just the opener. In fact, someone is opening for him. He’s so excited that he can’t really hold it in but… he doesn’t really have anyone to share it with. He stopped working at Harry’s restaurant back in January, so his communication with Louis and Harry has been a bit lackluster. His family hasn’t spoken to him since the Christmas kidnapping fiasco. So, he’s just hoping that someone was sitting there right now with him. Anyone. Literally anyone.

“Niall?”

Not the voice he wanted, but a voice nonetheless. Niall looks up and smiles at his brother. “Hey Greg, what’re you doing here?”

Greg smiles back and sits down at the small table across from him. “Denise is wandering around with Theo, so I’m taking a bit of a sit down break. He’s been sitting on my shoulders all day,” he explains. “What’re you doing here? Isn’t this when you usually work?”

Niall shakes his head. “I don’t work at Harry’s anymore.”

Greg frowns. “Where’re you working then? You didn’t get a stuffy office job like Dad suggested, did ya?”

“No way,” Niall assures him. “I’m actually pursuing music a bit more. Actually, I’ve sold a few songs to some indie bands already.”

“Really?” Greg states in surprise. “I’m really proud of you, little bro.”

Niall can feel himself soaring with pride. “Thanks,” he says sincerely. “Actually… I have a show in a few weeks. Like, it’s just gonna be me and guitar. Nothing special… if you wanted to come or anything?”

“Really?” Greg asks, and Niall nods in response. “I would love that! Can I bring Denise, Mum and Dad?”

“You can bring Denise… but I don’t think Mum and Dad will want to come,” Niall points out. “Not after what happened during Christmas.”

“Ta, I suppose you’re right,” Greg mutters wistfully. “Well, baby bro, you can count me in. I’ll be there wearing a t-shirt with your face on it.”

“Please don’t.”

\----

“Thanks everyone!” Niall exclaims, getting off of his stool and pushing his guitar so that it’s tucked firmly behind his back. “I’m Niall Horan and you’ve all been so wonderful. If you’d like to talk to me, I’ll be sat at that table over there with some EPs and merch.”

He leaves the stage to screaming, clapping, and yelling. He feels so invigorated and alive, but slightly empty. Not since he has no one to share the accomplishment with. Not with his brother not really counting. The people slapping his back in congratulations just feel like a side character in the story that is his life.

Those would make great lyrics, actually….

He sits down at the booth, a long table spread out in front of him, and he greets the different people that buy his EP. He even takes pictures with random individuals that seem to think he’ll be famous one day. It’s making his head kind of big.

“Niall!” His brother yells over the noise as he approaches the table. “You’ve done so well!”

Greg reaches over the table for a hug, so Niall stands up and complies with him. He even fist bumps with Denise who is standing behind her husband wearing a homemade Niall Horan shirt. “Thanks for coming,” he tells them as he pulls away from his brother’s constrictor hug.

“We actually brought some people with us,” Greg says, motioning to his side. Niall looks over and sees his parents standing awkwardly, talking to some guy with whose shirt is off and is proudly displaying his giant nipple rings and snake tattoo.

“I can’t believe they came,” Niall says, sounding like he can’t quite believe what is happening to him.

“They just want to support you,” Greg explains. “They don’t even care about what happened at Christmas anymore. And Mum’s talked to Dad and he’s a bit more okay with you working towards music now.”

“Can you... can you watch my stuff?” He asks his brothers who nods, and heads over to where his parents look extremely uncomfortable. The minute they see him, however, they look relieved and a bit worried. “You guys came…”

“Of course we did,” Maura confirms, as if the idea that they wouldn’t come hadn’t even crossed her mind.

“Just because I don’t like your chosen career path, doesn’t mean I’m not going to support you in it,” Bobby explains, looking around the building. “Your friend Nick- I mean, Liam, isn’t here.”

“That ship sailed a while ago,” Niall explains. “He got married last week, actually.”

“What a shame,” Maura morns. “Regardless of the, erm, kidnapping, you two looked very sweet together. He looked like he actually liked you.”

“Well,” Niall begins, shrugging, “I guess that’s just how the cookie crumbles.” His mum smiles at him in sympathy. Fucking great. He’s going to end up alone and living with his mum by the time he’s forty years old.

“Sir,” one of the bouncers interrupts their heart-felt family moment. “You’re needed in one of the back rooms.”

“The backrooms?” Niall questions, confused. “Who needs to see me back there?” His parents look at him, confusion also masking their faces.

The bouncer shrugs. “He’s wearing a suit. Looks like one of those music bigwigs, an important looking guy, you know?”

“Right, okay,” Niall says, nodding. He turns back to his parents. “Um, I’ll be right back.”

Maura puts up her hands in defense, as does his dad. “We’ll be here, don’t let us get in the way.”

“We’ll go find Denise and Greg while you’re back there,” Bobby assures them.

So, Niall let’s himself be carted off into the backrooms. Already acquainted with it, as he had to be back there before his show started. “He’s just in that last room,” the bouncer tells him. “I’m going back to my position near the bar. Can you find your way back when you’re done?”

“Not a problem,” Niall assures him, and continues on without his help.

The different rooms before him are all closed, so when he gets the one he needs to go through he’s a bit leery about it. He hadn’t seen any music industry people during his set, but he supposes he got really into the music. Perhaps that’s why he’s so surprised when he opens up the door and sees who’s standing there.

“Liam?” He asks in surprise, looking around the room at the different as if it was a mirage. “What are you doing here?”

“Wasn’t this kind of like your debut?” Liam asks in lieu of answering Niall’s question.

“I mean, I suppose so,” Niall replies, shrugging. He walks further into the room, extremely aware of the door closing behind him.

“You did really well,” Liam tells him, stepping forward slightly. “Your music sounds extremely good live.”

“Thank you,” Niall mutters, eyeing Liam up and down.

“This is going to sound a bit crazy,” Liam begins, he steps forward again, so close that Niall can feel his breath on his cheek. “But, I think I’ve missed you.” Niall must look surprised because Liam scrambles to finish his sentence. “I mean, I know we only spent, what, like four days together? But I don’t think I’ve ever felt closer to anyone before.”

“Aren’t… you’re married,” Niall says, even though what he really wants to say is ‘kiss me, I missed you too’. “You married your fiance last week. It was in the newspaper.”

Liam shakes his head. “I called it off. I didn’t… Zayn and I were…. convenient? I suppose.” He reaches a hand up to touch Niall’s cheek. “But you, you’re everywhere. You’re a bit of a mess.”

“Thanks,” Niall chokes out, already feeling sappy.

“Don’t,” Liam scowls, caressing Niall’s cheek with his thumb. “I like messes; think they’re fun to clean up.” He smiles. “You don’t feel like a safe choice… and I like that.”

“You do?” Niall asks. “Because I can’t seem to keep anyone around, probably for those reasons.”

Liam shakes his head, exasperated. “There are songs that I don’t think could describe what I feel for you. It’s… odd,” he tries to explain. “But I know I want to spend a long time figuring it out.”

“Liam Payne,” Niall begins, gasping in fake surprise. “Are you proposing to me?”

Liam laughs, “No. But I am asking you on a date. Can we start there? Because I think, maybe, in some weird stockholm syndrome way, I’d like to get to know you a bit better.”

“I think I’d like that,” Niall responds, smiling brightly. “One question though?”

“What?” Liam asks, always the considerate one.

“Can I kiss you?” He asks. “Preferably for longer than five seconds in front of my family members?”

Liam laughs. “I’d like that.” To prove it, he moves his hand from Niall’s face and secures it at the back of his neck. He uses that leverage to move Niall’s face forward, connecting their lips and-

Boom.

Yeah.

This feels right.


	2. Liam's POV

Liam is going stir crazy. Everyone is sitting in the kitchen, joking around and laughing together. They’re playing a rousing game of Uno and  _ nobody _ believes he’s being held there against his will. They’re all just joking and laughing, like a real family. He feels his face soften.

He hasn’t spent Christmas with anyone else but himself in a long time. He hasn’t even spent a Christmas with Zayn’s family before. After his Uncle passed awake five years ago, he had began volunteering at a soup shelter on Christmas day, rather than spend it by himself. That’s where he met Zayn, actually. He was also volunteering, a family tradition or whatever.

But this… this was different. Everyone seemed so close with each other. They were acting like Niall fighting with Theo over a sugar cookie was completely normal, but considering what Niall was like it didn’t really seem that out of place.

“Nick,” Denise says, trying to get his attention. “Did you want a glass of eggnog?”

Liam shakes his head. “No thanks. I’m more of a apple cider drinker during the holidays.”

“Me too!” Niall pipes up, smiling brightly. It kind of lit up the whole room and made Liam feel a bit warm inside. “Eggnog is just a bit too on the sweet side for me.”

“Which is surprising, considering you just tried to steal a cookie from your godson,” Greg accuses him, causing Niall to sputter everywhere trying to get a response out. Everyone laughs at him good naturedly.

“He stole it first!” Niall exclaims.

“Don’t lie,” Theo says, pointing his finger accusingly at his favourite Uncle.

“Oh bloody hell!” Maura yells from her spot in the kitchen. She had been digging through the pantry for the last half an hour. “I forgot to pick up flour in the city the other day. I cannot believe I could be so stupid!”

“Come on dear,” Bobby says, getting up from his spot. “It’s alright, you don’t need more flour, do you?”

“I have to make more cookies,” Maura explains, distraught. “If I don’t make more cookies, then Christmas will be ruined!”

“I can go!” Liam yells up, shooting up from his chair. Finally, a chance to escape.

“No he can’t!” Niall yells back, also standing up from his chair and causing Theo to startle and start crying.

“No, no” Liam says,” I insist. It’s the least I can do for your lovely family for… taking me in during the holidays.”

“I’ll come with you then,” Bobby insists. “That way you don’t have to be alone at all. Family sticks together, right?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Niall mumbles, nevertheless he hands his Dad the cell phone and key drawer key. Liam feels triumphant.

“Thank you dear.” Maura kisses her husband on the cheek while he opens the drawer and takes out his car key. “Is there anything open?”

“I think that gas station down the way is,” Denise replies, bouncing Theo on her lap to calm him down.

“We’ll be back in a jiff,” Bobby says, motioning for Liam to follow him.

And that’s how Liam ends up in a car, confined with one of the Horan brood. He feels like he’s suffocating. Because he wants to escape, somehow get home before Christmas Day so that Zayn won’t be too angry with him.  But at the same time… he wants to stay? Oddly enough. He kind of wants to impress Bobby, be the son-in-law he probably wants… which is ridiculous? Because he’s not in a relationship with Niall.

God, his head’s a mess.

Which is why as soon as the car is stopped at the gas station, the one that Niall had gotten the pink, fuzzy handcuffs from, he bolts from the car. He runs into the shop and stops at the counter. “You need to help me,” he says, “I’ve been kidnapped and held against my will.”

The old lady sitting behind the counter laughs. “I bet you have, you lucky bastard.”

“Excuse me,” Liam asks, completely confused. He stays silent, however, because Bobby walks into the shop and grabs a bag of flour, then proceeds to browse a little bit. “You don’t understand, this family is holding me hostage.”

Bobby, hearing the tail end of his speech, laughs as he places the flour on the counter. “You are quite the catch, Nick.” He takes out his wallet and hands the shop keep his credit card. “Always a pleasure seeing you, Barbara. Come on, Nick, let’s get home before they miss us.”

Bobby grasps Liam’s wrist and tugs him out of the shop. Liam, panicking, rips himself out of the older man’s grip and rushes back into the shop. “You don’t understand,” he yells. “Just let me use your phone, I need to phone the police or someone!”

Barbara, narrowing her eyes, pulls a gun out from under the counter. “You best be getting out of my shop, and back to that lovely young man of yours before I make you,” she threatens, holding the gun up.

Liam, disgruntled and frustrated, slumps out of the shop and into the car where Bobby is waiting for him. One of his eyebrow quirked in questioning. “Everything alright?”

“Sure,” Liam mumbles, crossing his arms over his chest as Bobby starts to drive back to the house.

“I’m glad you’re around,” Bobby begins, “I can tell you’ve already made a difference for Niall.”

Odd.

“I don’t know what you’ve done for him… but keep on doing it. I like seeing my son as happy as he can be.”

Liam, slightly disturbed but also very touched at the association, panics. As ones does when kidnapped and then given the talk about son’s and dating by the kidnapper’s father. “Let me go.” Is what he says, wanting to get away from this family of psychos.

“Now Nick,” Bobby begins. But at this point, Liam has had enough.

He grabs the steering wheel and yanks it from the older man’s grip. The vehicle begins to spin out of control on the road but Liam doesn’t care, because all he needs is to scare Bobby enough that he lets Liam drive.

“Woah there,” Bobby says, trying to push Liam off of him so he can control the wheel again. Liam can already tell that he’s slamming on the breaks. To which they come to a complete stop and Bobby puts the car into drive before he turns to Liam who is just so frustrated that he doesn’t say anything. “You know, I know sometimes being in a relationship can feel like you’re being kidnapped, like you’re being held hostage. But it can also be the best part of your life.”

“You don’t understand,” Liam says, exasperated.

“Oh, but I do,” Bobby explains. “But I also know that if you break my son’s heart, I’m going to make sure that not even the police can identify you.”

Liam gulps. “Yes sir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a wild ride. Thanks guys.

**Author's Note:**

> The next chapter is just a little excerpt I wrote today, unedited, from Liam's POV.


End file.
